After the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk, I am hearing personal stories from older voters who laud the positive effect Kirk had on their younger family members.
As President Trump said, “His voice on earth will echo through the generations.” Kirk truly represented the heart of America. It caused me to ponder what seems to be a megatrend in American politics.
I thought about the past three presidential elections, when Trump supporters were derisively called deplorables, neanderthals and MAGA extremists by political figures in the opposing party. During my lifetime in politics, it was the first time I’d been called such vicious names by elected leaders.
I thought about the Trump rallies, when thousands of Americans waited in line to attend; they were ordinary people, chasing their version of the American dream. They were and are the heart of America. And they had never been so motivated and active in public discourse. The leftist political class completely misread them and continues to do so.
I thought about my experience electioneering outside the early voting building in Boerne. We wave signs and greet voters. I’ve seen many of you readers out there. And I noticed a trend in 2016, which was consistent in 2020 and 2024.
All day long, truck drivers saw our Trump signs and honked. One cement truck laid on his air horn for a full block. I thought, something extraordinary is going on here. As I met Republican voters, I continued to witness the pattern. Blue collar workers were very enthusiastic supporters of Trump. And even today, I have yet to meet a truck driver who is not a Trump voter. They are the heart of America.
Then I pondered Kirk’s funeral. In attendance was the upper echelon of the Trump administration and the Republican party, including the president and vice president of the United States. It was extraordinary. A huge football stadium was filled to capacity, with ordinary Americans joining the famous dignitaries to pay their respects.
They are the heart of America.
In a powerful moment that drew widespread applause in the stadium, Kirk’s widow Erika addressed her late husband’s killer and said “my husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life. That young man, I forgive him.”
A stunning declaration of forgiveness that resounded with Christians across America. Who could witness that scene, and not be moved? It struck a chord that echoed across the heart of America.
Yet leftist establishment believe that conservative Republicans who support President Trump are members of a cult. They think this political movement is about personalities. But they are sorely mistaken.
The facts are that more than 77 million of us voted for Trump last year, and he won the election easily. A political cult? Not hardly. It’s actually the heart of America. And the leftist establishment better sit up and take notice.
After the Kirk killing, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, showed us an example of moral and political leadership. He spoke for the best of the heart of America. He didn’t advocate for retribution, violence or property destruction. He simply announced the arrest of a murder suspect and reminded us that the accused has rights as an American, to a fair trial.
Then he said, “To my young friends out there, you are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option. But your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different from what we are suffering through right now, not by pretending differences don’t matter, but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations.”
He continued, “I think we need more moral clarity right now. I hear all the time that words are violence. Words are not violence. Violence is violence. And there is one person responsible for what happened here. And that person is now in custody and will be held accountable.”
And he added: “History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us.”
Well said. Sounds like the heart of America.
Scott S. Kramer is former Chairman of the Kendall County Republican Party.
WRITE OF CENTER
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